…………

On the way to Stratholme, Arthas had already explained the situation to Uther, so that the knights of the Silver Hand would not delay the fight due to shock and fear when they first saw the undead monster. Uther brought

He answered in a joking tone that the Alliance had met Death Knights when they were fighting the orcs, and they won at that time, so Arthas didn't have to worry too much.

The mentor's optimism only made Arthas a little angry. The beloved paladin didn't understand what kind of enemy he was dealing with. It couldn't be explained clearly in a few words. Arthas could only hurry up and hurry up.

He kept urging others.

When he looked up in a certain direction, he happened to see a house on a hillside. Alsace remembered that place, it was Nathanos' home, and he had been invited there once. The feeling of guilt came again.

Attacked, the hands holding the reins couldn't stop trembling. He thought that if Nathanos died - of course this was the worst outcome - he would definitely recognize him as a martyr and build a monument.

'It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter! Nathanos will understand me, will understand me. I am here to save more people.'

Part of the reason why the army was not fast enough was to maintain its formation. It was difficult for Alsace to remain calm, so he simply closed his eyes and let his mount take him.

There were sounds of fighting from all directions, flames swept through the place, and undead creatures were raging in every corner. In the sea of ​​people, Arthas also saw a figure - Nathanos, who was fighting to the death with a group of undead creatures.

The old friend's quiver was empty, his sword was broken, and he was holding nothing more than a random weapon. Nathanos chopped off the head of an undead, then turned to Arthas and roared at him

Said: "You betrayed us!"

Arthas woke up with a start, his body trembled, and he even forgot that he was on horseback. He suddenly lost his balance and screamed. The moment he fell, Uther supported him with his hands and

He said to him: "What's wrong with you, Alsace? You don't look very well. Do you want to stop and rest for a while?"

"No!" Alsace rejected him decisively, "We should hurry up and hurry up."

The commanding tone surprised Uther. He felt that Arthas seemed to have changed. It was not just his attitude towards his mentor, but more importantly, the tense and violent aura exuding from him.

This made Uther a little worried, and he thought again of the prince who wanted to kill all his men.

Remember Arthas, we are paladins. If the faith and passion in our hearts turn into fanaticism, then we are no different from orcs.

Uther hoped that Arthas truly understood what he said, but at least so far, Uther was sure that he did not.

There was only the last short stretch of road left to reach Stratholme. What surprised Arthas was that he saw Farric and Marvin on the road, and even Thassarian was here.

'What's going on? Aren't they supposed to go to Hearthglen and be with Nathanos?' Arthas was confused, wondering if Nathanos had settled the matter there and came here? But the time was right?

Alsace thought this was impossible.

"Farrick!"

Hearing the prince's voice, Farik, who was talking to a farmer, turned his head with joy on his face.

"Your Highness, I'm glad to see you are safe and sound." Farric bowed.

And Arthas asked him directly: "Farric, why are you here? What are you doing?"

"That's right, Your Highness the Prince. It's Nasa..."

"That's enough, stop talking, we don't have time now." Alsace interrupted, but he was very scared. Farric wanted to say that Nathanos asked them to do this, and there were soldiers in several houses on the path.

During the investigation, this phenomenon has shown that Nathanos asked them to come here in advance.

"Nathanos?" Uther stepped forward and asked after hearing Farric's words, and then remembered that Arthas seemed to be acting together with Nathanos, "Where are the others?"

"He's not here." Arthas said before Farric answered. "I sent him on a mission." He panicked again. The purpose of doing this was just to make Uther and her Silver

The Knights of the Hand stayed with him to help him face the next enemy. If Uther knew that Nathanos was in danger, he would definitely save him.

Mission? Uther wanted to ask Arthas what mission he had sent Nathanos to perform, but the other man spoke again, this time his tone was more urgent and uncomfortable.

"We don't have much time. Farric, call others to meet us at the gate of Stratholme!" the prince said through gritted teeth. He could already see the walls of Stratholme, and the gate was right in front.

"Thank God, we're here." Arthas laughed, seeing a few people coming in and out of Stratholme's door.

"I'm glad you're with me, Uther." He turned his head and looked at the old paladin.

Uther is a good-tempered man, but he is an elder compared to Arthas. "Watch your tone, young man! You are a prince, but as a paladin, I am your commander!"

"If you don't remind me, I might forget." Alsace retorted with a smile. He walked quickly to the top of the slope so that he could look over the city wall and observe the city. He was sure what he was looking for. He just needed to pay attention to some special things.

Signs that people were still living their normal lives, that they had arrived in time. He was looking for any sign that could give him hope and tell him what there was still time to do. "Listen, Uther, about how this plague spread

You need to know. Those grains shipped from Andorhal..."

As he was talking, a cold wind rose, and the smell that drifted into his nose was not unpleasant, but Alsace felt as if his heart had been stabbed hard. The weird smell was unique to bread baked with contaminated grains.

The fragrance is clearly integrated into the air.

"Holy Light, no! Those grains are already on the table!"

The blood drained from Alsace's face, he stared and roared in terror.

Uther's war horse "Iron Shoe" moved uneasily after hearing the prince's voice.

"What's the matter? What are you talking about, Arthas?"

"We are too late. We are really too late! The grain is contaminated...it will cause the plague, and these people..." He simply couldn't go on, but he had to let everyone know, "These people are already infected.

They seem fine now, but they will turn into undead monsters sooner or later!"

"What?" Uther shouted. "My child, how is this possible?"

"No," Farric stood up and affirmed the prince's words at this time. "He is right, Lord Uther. We have encountered it during previous investigations. If people have eaten the contaminated food, they have already

Infected, if they are infected... they will become undead."

"We have to cleanse this whole city."

Facing Farric's information, before Uther's mind had time to absorb and process it, Arthas' cold-blooded and cruel voice followed.

He blinked. The prince definitely didn't mean it.

"What did you say?"

This time, Alsace faced everyone and shouted loudly: "This city must be purified!"

"You dare to think like this?" Uther yelled, striding towards his students. "There must be another way. This is not a pigsty, this is a whole city, all living people!"

"Be bold, Uther! We must do this!" Arthas approached Uther's face, and in this terrifying moment, Farric felt that they were about to fight.

But Uther didn't do anything. His brows knitted together and he shook his head, "Listen to me. We don't know how many people are infected yet. Some people may not have eaten any grains at all, and they may only eat

A small amount is not fatal. We don’t even know the fatal dose yet. We know too little and we can’t just slaughter them like livestock just because of our own fear!”

This was an inappropriate statement. He looked at Alsace's approaching face. "I am trying my best to protect more people, Uther. I swore an oath."

"Shouldn't you protect them? They are, as you said, the people you swore to protect. You fully intend to treat them as victims of the plague! There are many children there. We don't know if they will be

Infection. There are too many uncertainties, and we cannot take such... such drastic measures."

"What about the others who have been infected?" Arthas asked in a sudden, murderous calm tone, telling Uther that he was calm. "They will kill the others, Uther. They still have

They will come and kill us...and then spread out from here, killing everywhere. They will die no matter what, but once they get up again, they will attack and look for living people to use as food. If it were you, what would you do?

Choose, Uther?”

"No matter what I choose, I will not use the weapon of justice in my hand to 'purify' them." Uther replied sternly, but his face was already distorted.

Tears of agony burned Arthas's eyes.

Uther regained his composure and continued to persuade: "Alsace, give me some time, just a day or two. I can notify Dalaran and we can hold an emergency meeting. Maybe we can find some way..."

"We don't have a day or two!" Arthas exploded. "Uther, it only takes a few hours for them to attack. Maybe only a few minutes. I...I saw it with my own eyes in Andorhal. There is no time to go.

Research some kind of rescue method. We must take action now." He straightened his chest and raised his head to look at Uther, "As your future king, I order you to purify this city!"

"You are not my king yet, boy! Even if you were I would not carry out this order!"

There was a terrible silence, and the atmosphere was extremely tense.

"Then I can only regard your behavior as treason." Alsace's words were cold and clear. Uther was even more surprised than if he had been punched by him.

"Treason?" he said angrily. "Are you crazy, Alsace?"

"Really? Sir Uther, as the Crown Prince of Lordaeron, I declare that the Knights of the Silver Hand are hereby disbanded."

"Alsace!" Uther raised his hands and screamed.

The prince turned around sharply with angry eyes.

The old paladin felt dizzy and panicked. He was really going to do this. He was going to charge into Stratholme and chop off the heads of every living man, woman, and child in the city.

"Are you going to do it?" Uther asked at his back: "You have been with Nathanos for so long, haven't you learned the kindness from him?"

"Stop mentioning a dead man!"

"What!" Uther was shocked, "What did you say? Say it again!"

Arthas was silent. Uther turned his head and glared at Farric, who was frightened back several steps by his eyes.

"How is this going?"

Farric looked at Arthas, then at Uther, swallowed his saliva and explained: "Part of the grain shipped from Andorhal was allocated to Hearthglen, and His Highness the Prince also went there in the first place.

Nathanos also went to that place, but now...he is not here."

This explanation was not enough to eliminate Uther's doubts, and Arthas' next words made him unsteady on his feet.

"There is an army of undead attacking Hearthglen. Nathanos asked me to leave to find you..."
To be continued...